Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 May 2010
492 Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive payment under REP scheme and the suckler cow scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20503/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named applied for 24 animals in 2009. Payment issued on 26 January 2010 in respect of 9 calves. There are a number of outstanding queries on the profile and an official from the Department has been in direct contact with the herd owner regarding the resolution of these queries. The REPS payment application belonging to the person named is at an advanced stage of processing and the person named will be notified of the outcome shortly.
493 Deputy Paul Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Galway, currently entering the new agri-environment options scheme, will be eligible for an extra grant on land they have committed to forestry and for which they were getting grant aid in addition to payment under REP scheme 3, which they exited on 31 September 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20513/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that the person in question was in receipt of payments under the Forest Environment Protection Scheme (FEPS) while he was a participant in REPS. As he is no longer in REPS, payments under FEPS will cease although he will continue to receive annual premiums under the Afforestation Scheme. There are no proposals to link the FEPS scheme to the new Agri Environment Options Scheme (AEOS).
494 Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has not received payment under the REP scheme or single farm payment for some years; if, in view of documented ill health which adversely impacted on their continued participation in REPS, he will arrange for payment of all outstanding monies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20740/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named joined REPS 1 on 1 January 1997 and received three years payment. He did not lodge an application for payment for his fourth year. Under the terms and conditions of REPS 1, this led to the termination of his contract and the recoupment of all the payments he had received.
My officials have been in contact with the person named and have considered documentation which he submitted relating to his health. However as the health issues he put forward had already existed when he joined the scheme, my officials concluded that there were no grounds to allow him to terminate his contract without recoupment. His Single Payment Scheme applications in respect of each year were processed for full payment, but payments were held against the REPS debt.
It is open to the person named to seek a further review of his case. If he wishes to do so, he should communicate directly with my Department's REPS Debt Recovery Section at Johnstown Castle Estate, Co Wexford.
495 Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his plans to reintroduce grants for investment in dairy facilities; if so, the funding available for these works in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20743/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department recently received EU Commission approval for the various targeted on-farm investment schemes announced by my Department in 2009. Due to the relatively short time-frames for completion of the investment works concerned, my priority is to introduce the Sow Welfare and Poultry Welfare Schemes first. Arrangements will then be made to introduce the three remaining schemes, including the Dairy Equipment Scheme.
Discussions are ongoing with the relevant farming organizations in regard to the terms and conditions of the Schemes concerned. These should be completed in the near future and I hope to be in a position to make an announcement regarding the new Schemes at that stage. A sum of €1 million has been made available in the 2010 Estimates for the new targeted on-farm investment schemes.
